Charles Dickens concludes his novel with the resurrection and the death of Sydney Carton. Dickens promotes the idea of Resurrection throughout his novel, but he really lays it on the reader in the final moments of the novel. Throughout the book, Dickens shows the transformation of Sydney Carton from a drunk lowlife to a Christ-like gentleman. When we first get to learn about Carton, he is a "drunk" (63) without hope. He has nothing to live for (except for Lucie, but that's another theme...) and wastes his life away in alcohol. By the end of A Tale of Two Cities, Carton has made a complete transformation into a kind gentleman and is seen with "inspiration in the eyes" (231). Carton has finally found his purpose in life by this point in the novel and acts as a completely different human being. Dickens also chooses to make Carton appear as "the Resurrection and the Life" (292) in the last moments of Carton's life. Dickens chooses to write about Carton in this way to further Carton's transformation, but also he also writes in this way to compare Carton to Jesus Christ. Carton has become an angelic figure through his change, and he also calms a "pitiable girl" (276) whom is also about to be killed. All of these tiny details lead up to parody the death of Jesus Christ. Dickens eloquently ends his novel with the resurrection and death of Sydney Carton through which he represents his overarching theme of Resurrection.
Here is Sydney Carton. Ever wonder how he was able to switch places with Charles Darnay without being caught?
The Closing Scene Is Also Important!
Charles Dickens concludes his novel with the resurrection and the death of Sydney Carton. Dickens promotes the idea of Resurrection throughout his novel, but he really lays it on the reader in the final moments of the novel. Throughout the book, Dickens shows the transformation of Sydney Carton from a drunk lowlife to a Christ-like gentleman. When we first get to learn about Carton, he is a "drunk" (63) without hope. He has nothing to live for (except for Lucie, but that's another theme...) and wastes his life away in alcohol. By the end of A Tale of Two Cities, Carton has made a complete transformation into a kind gentleman and is seen with "inspiration in the eyes" (231). Carton has finally found his purpose in life by this point in the novel and acts as a completely different human being. Dickens also chooses to make Carton appear as "the Resurrection and the Life" (292) in the last moments of Carton's life. Dickens chooses to write about Carton in this way to further Carton's transformation, but also he also writes in this way to compare Carton to Jesus Christ. Carton has become an angelic figure through his change, and he also calms a "pitiable girl" (276) whom is also about to be killed. All of these tiny details lead up to parody the death of Jesus Christ. Dickens eloquently ends his novel with the resurrection and death of Sydney Carton through which he represents his overarching theme of Resurrection.